China vows tighter grip on Taiwan amid rising tensions

The spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Wu Qian, stated that if separatist activities in Taiwan escalate, China will respond by tightening the noose around the island. "The more rampant 'Taiwan independence' separatists become, the tighter the noose around their necks and the sharper the sword hanging over their heads will be," Wu was quoted as saying by the Ministry of Defense on social media.

Wu Qian emphasized that the People's Liberation Army is key in combating separatism and promoting reunification. Recently, patrols around Taiwan and deterrence activities have become standard practice. The spokesperson also accused Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party of escalating provocations and pursuing independence by relying on U.S. support.

The United States, despite lacking formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, opposes unilateral changes to the status quo and provides the island with arms, sparking protests from China. In recent years, China has increased military pressure, regularly sending aircraft and ships near Taiwan. Since December 2023, Taipei has also reported Chinese balloon flyovers, which seem intended to improve the burden on Taiwanese forces.

China claims that Taiwan is part of the People's Republic of China, although it has never controlled it. Leader Xi Jinping believes reunification is inevitable and does not rule out military intervention. The government in Taipei rejects these claims, emphasizing that only the people of Taiwan can decide its future. Public opinion polls show that most Taiwanese wish to maintain the current status quo. President Lai Ching-te also declares the continuation of the foreign policy of the previous president, Tsai Ing-wen, which means maintaining the status quo in relations with China.